Vibrio cholerae O1 lipopolysaccharide (VC O1 LPS)

Vibrio cholerae O1 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is the primary surface antigen of the Gram-negative bacterium Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of cholera (Chatterjee & Chaudhuri, 2011). It is composed of three distinct regions: the hydrophobic Lipid A, a core oligosaccharide, and the O-specific polysaccharide (OSP). The OSP defines the O1 serogroup and its Ogawa and Inaba serotypes, which are responsible for most cholera pandemics (Xu et al., 2019). As the immunodominant component, OSP is the principal target for protective immune responses in humans. High titers of anti-OSP antibodies, particularly in the intestinal mucosa, are strongly associated with protection against infection and disease (Leung et al., 2004). Consequently, O1 LPS is the central component of most licensed oral cholera vaccines, which utilize killed whole cells to elicit mucosal immunity (WHO, 2017). Beyond its role as a vaccine target, the Lipid A portion of the LPS acts as a potent endotoxin that can trigger systemic inflammatory pathways. The O-antigen is also essential for the bacterium's ability to colonize the human small intestine and survive environmental stress. Targeting this molecule via vaccination remains the most effective strategy for large-scale cholera prevention and control.

Other names

O1 antigenVibrio cholerae O-specific polysaccharideV. cholerae O1 LPSCholera O1 endotoxinOSP

Induction of protective mucosal and systemic immunity, primarily through the generation of vibriocidal and anti-O-specific polysaccharide (OSP) antibodies that prevent bacterial colonization and facilitate pathogen clearance (WHO, 2017; Leung et al., 2004).